Patwari Bhander

Ratu Road in Ranchi is always a bit chaotic, and our shop is right in the middle of it near New Market Chowk. We have been here for a long time, watching the road get wider and the buildings get taller around us. The shop itself, Patwari Bhander, is mostly known for bulk grains and pulses. We have big open bins where people can see the quality of the lentils and rice before they buy. The air inside is always a bit thick with the smell of flour. We have heavy iron weights for the old manual scale, though we have a digital one now too. The walls are lined with wooden cubbies filled with spices, dried chilies, and nuts. It is a noisy place because of the traffic at the chowk, so we often have to raise our voices to be heard over the trucks. We don't have any fancy displays, just products stacked where they fit. Sometimes we sit on the front step during the quiet hours in the afternoon when it’s too hot for anyone to be out shopping. Our hands are usually a bit dusty from handling the jute bags all day. We deal with farmers and wholesalers early in the morning and then the local families come in later. It’s a lot of physical labor, moving bags and weighing out small portions. We just focus on keeping the stock fresh and the prices fair for everyone in Ranchi.